forest rehabilitation in La Jonquera

After the fire of Jonquera, time to take stock.

The Generalitat has estimated that the conflagration of Jonquera, who had hit the French border and the outskirts of Figueras (13,000 hectares affected, four dead and nine seriously injured), had caused damage to the tune of 143 million euros .

We recognize in this figure all the losses of materials (cork oak, pine, wood, and other materials that were mined) up to 94 million which must be added € 49 million in estimated environmental damage. The Catalan government plans to plant millions of trees in two years.

As soon August, in « L’idépendant », the Catalan authorities were estimating the heavy toll:

remain the ecological damage that was caused by fire. « A month and a half after the fire of Jonquera, the recovery of the vegetation is very limited and very late because of this catastrophic drought, » said Joan Tocabens , deputy mayor of Perthus. « The regrowth of grass and heather are very limited. Few leaves can be seen on the cork that have been protected by their bark, but much less than we should. Pines are dead. The oaks will resume, but it will take longer. But what worries me now is that during heavy rains, strong side Jonquera flood risk is. There are no more vegetation on the slopes and therefore nothing to stop and hold water that goes down the hill and gully. « Water after the fire, the worst paradoxes.

FC Barcelona was also involved in environmental restoration by giving 50,000 euros to the municipalities affected. And revenues rugby match USA Perpignan-Toulouse on 15 September in Barcelona, ​​have been given in full to the cause of the disaster.

Today oaks, some of which are beginning to become green. I hope that the heavy spring rains have allowed nature to regain some of its rights and cover this scene of desolation that the forest is around the Jonquera.